The Flags of the World: Their History, Blazonry, and AssociationsHulme, F. Edward (Frederick Edward)
History
The Flags of the World: Their History, Blazonry, and Associations
Hulme, F. Edward (Frederick Edward)
Flags
On the accession of the House of Stuart, the flag was rearranged. Its first
and fourth quarters were themselves quartered again, these small
quarterings being the French fleur-de-lys and the English lions; while the
second quarter was the lion of Scotland, and the third the Irish harp; the
first appearance of either of these latter kingdoms in the Royal Standard.
This form remained in use throughout the reigns of James I., Charles I.,
Charles II., and James II. The last semblance of dominion in France had
long {35} since passed away, but it will be seen that alike on coinage,
arms, and Standard the fiction was preserved, and Londoners may see at
Whitehall the statue still standing of James II., bearing on its pedestal
the inscription--"_Jacobus secundus Dei Gratia Angliæ, Scotiæ, Franciæ et
Hiberniæ Rex_."
During the Protectorate, both the Union Flag and the Standard underwent
several modifications, but the form that the personal Standard of Cromwell
finally assumed may be seen in Fig. 83, where the Cross of St. George for
England, St. Andrew for Scotland, and the harp for Ireland, symbolise the
three kingdoms, while over all, on a shield, are placed the personal arms
of the Protector--a silver lion rampant on a sable field.
William III., on his landing in England, displayed a standard which varied
in many respects from those of his royal predecessors, since it contained
not only the arms themselves, but these were represented as displayed on an
escutcheon, surmounted by the crown, and supported on either side by the
lion and unicorn. Above all this was the inscription "For the Protestant
Religion and the Liberties of England,"[22] while beneath it was "je
maintiendray." The arms on the shield are too complex for adequate
description without the aid of a diagram; suffice it to say that in
addition to the insignia of England, Scotland, Ireland, and France, were
eight others dealing with the devices of smaller Continental possessions
appertaining to the new monarch. When matters had settled down and his
throne was assured, the aggressive inscription, etc., disappeared, and the
Royal Standard of William and his Consort Mary, the daughter of King James,
reverted to the form used by the Stuart Sovereigns, plus in the centre a
small escutcheon bearing the arms of Nassau, these being a golden lion
rampant, surrounded by golden billets, upon a shield of azure.
The Royal Standard of Queen Anne bore the devices of England, Scotland,
Ireland, and France. On the accession of George I. the arms of Hanover were
added, and from 1714 to 1801 the flag was as shown in Fig. 43. The flag of
Anne was very similar to this, only instead of Hanover in the fourth
quarter, the arms of England and Scotland, as we see them in the first
quarter, were simply repeated in the fourth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account